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tv   The Ed Show  MSNBC  November 4, 2013 2:00pm-3:01pm PST

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to throw the senate race to marco rubio. that's the question florida democrats will have to ask in 2014. thanks so much for watching. "the ed show" starts right now. good evening americans and welcome to "the ed show," live from new york. let's get to work. ♪ >> kentucky is leading the way in health care reform. >> i just find it amazing that a state in the middle of the country can get it right and not have a lot of people calling your office and saying governor beshear, how did you do that? there's like 10,000 people that have gone to this website. >> they're shopping. >> yeah, they're shopping. >> and that's really what you want them to do. >> this can work. this is going to work. >> you have implemented what president obama wants to do and there's positive results. >> over the course of the next year or two, you're going to have a very big success for affordable health coverage. >> if you had had a moment with president obama, what would your
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advice be on how to make it right? >> good to have you with us tonight, folks. thanks for watching. hope you had a great weekend. two senators from kentucky, mitch mcconnell, who heads up the republicans in the senate, and rand paul, who wants to be the president of the united states, these two senators have been the biggest obstructers and biggest bad-mouthers of obama care anywhere in the country. but look what's happening in their own backyard. this is the pulse center, and this is where mitch mcconnell and rand paul have never been. they have never been here in frankfurt, kentucky. it's an obscure office complex, it's known as building 12, and it's kind of hard to find. but this is where we were this morning. i wanted to go to kentucky to find out how this is working. president obama last week in a speech in boston, massachusetts, talked about what was unfolding in the state of kentucky, and said that pretty much this is the model. well, let me tell you something. this is the man right here, who
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is making it happen in the state of kentucky. this is the man who understands the vision, and is making health care a reality for kentucky residents. i sat down with the governor of kentucky today, steve beshear. governor beshear has been a big part of obama care's success in the state. as soon as the law was passed, he saw the vision. they got to work on the infrastructure for the exchange. they're up and running and it's working. he's cut through all the negative misinformation, and all of the lies that have been out there about obama care, and clearly explained to us today why this law is good, it's working, and it's great for the country as a whole. >> congratulations. >> thank you very much. thanks for coming to kentucky. >> it's good to be here. why is it so smooth in kentucky? >> well, our folks are the real heroes here, ed. the people that work in this building, that work all over the state, educating kentuckyions about what the affordable care act is all about. our folks got in early and worked with the vendors on the
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website, and as you know, we had very few problems with it. and it's cranking out people that are joining up every day at the rate of about a thousand a day. we're now over 32,000 people who have signed up for affordable health care. >> you got on the ground floor. i mean, you wanted to do this, correct? >> i wanted to do this, but it was a two-part decision. you know, number one, is it the right thing to do. well, of course, it is. you know, expanding medicaid is the right thing to do. setting up our own exchange and not having kind of a cookie cutter approach that you would have to have at the federal level was the right thing to do. but particularly on expanding medicaid, i also had to be fiscally responsible. and i had to find out if we could afford to do this. and so i asked outside experts. i brought in some actuarial folks, and they took a good hard look at this and they came back and sat down and said, governor, you can't afford not to do this. >> what has it done for
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kentucky, from what you have seen? >> first of all, you can see an eagerness out there for affordable health coverage. you know, we've got horrible health statistics. we've had horrible health statistics for generations. and i knew that we had to have some kind of transformational tool to really change the game here. and the affordable care act gave me that. and so now for the first time in history, every single kentuckyion is going to have access to affordable care act health care. we're going to create about 17,000 new jobs as a part of this effort. there's going to be about $15 billion of new money infused into kentucky's economy. so this is a win-win situation. >> what do you think about other states that have rejected this? i mean, you must be -- you see what it does for your state. your thoughts on other states that just haven't gone down this road. >> unfortunately, i think a lot of them are making political
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decisions as opposed to decisions in the best interest of their people. and i would predict to you that over the next two or three years, most of those states will end up doing exactly what we're doing, because their people are going to see what kentuckyians are getting, what people in other states are doing, affordable health coverage and they're going to demand their political leaders do what we're doing. >> now, you have done this with basically three contractors, correct? and this hasn't been a huge expansion of kentucky government. >> oh, not at all. i mean, we brought the private enterprise in to do this with us. we have our own people that already work in the medicaid system, and public health. and those kind of folks. and we sat down with these private vendors, designed the system. you know, we kept it simple, straight forward. we didn't put a lot of bells and whistles on it. we made it to where folks could go on and browse and shop and find out exactly whether they qualify for medicaid or if they
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don't. what are the health plans, what do they look like, do i qualify for a premium subsidy. and then once they had all of that, then they can create an account and go and do the job that it's set up to do. >> what reaction are you getting from consumers, from kentuc kentuckyia kentuckyians? do they care about the politics or are they here to get something they don't have or have never had an option to get? >> we have 640,000 people who don't have health care coverage. and just the numbers speak for themselves. over the first month, we have had almost 400,000 people swarming all over this website to get this information. 70, 80,000 people on that toll-free hotline calling about the information. that doesn't even include the folks that are going in, out in our communities and talking with the connectors and the public health departments, and insurance agents that we have certified to work with them. so people want this. this is the first time in their lives, ed, where most of them
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will be able to actually have health care coverage. you know, these folks are not a group of aliens from some distant planet. they're our friends and neighbors. they're folks we go to church with, we shop and go to the grocery with. we sit in the bleachers on friday night and we all watch our kids play football and baseball and soccer. some of them are even members of our family. and these people get up every morning and work hard to improve the quality of life for their people and they just hope and pray that they don't get sick. because they know that they are one bad diagnosis away from bankruptcy. under the current system. >> i noticed on your map, 120 counties in kentucky. >> right. >> and you have visited every one of them. and you have had seminars in every county. on the national level, obama care has had some communication issues. make the connection there. what -- how do you view that? >> obviously, we've got a much smaller population to deal with. and we've got one set of insurance laws.
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the federal exchange ended up having to deal with i think 36 different sets of insurance laws, and of course, 40 to 50 million people. having said that, i think if they went back to do it over again, which they're doing now, you know, they'll make it much simpler. i think the biggest issue that they ended up messing up on was requiring everybody to create an account before they could go browse and actually find out the information. and that created a real logjam in the system. so they'll get this fixed. there's no question in my mind that they'll have it fixed. and over the course of the next year or two, you're going to have a very big success for affordable health coverage in this whole country. >> you have been a believer in this delivery system since the day the law passed. and the supreme court ruling, when that came out, one i understand your state kicked into high gear took advantage of all of the federal grants to start implementing these things. there are two high-profile politicians from the state.
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mitch mcconnell, republican leader in the senate, rand paul, who wants to be president. they're totaling opposed to what you're doing. what do you say to them? >> well, they've been a part of all the other critics helping to weave that web of misinformation out there for months about the affordable care act. and finally, now that it's active, now that people can find out for themselves, that's what kentuckyians are doing. they've heard this stuff and don't know what to think. they're confused, like everybody else. but they're taking the opportunity to go find out for themselves. and when they do, they like what they find. i'm telling everybody in kentucky, you don't have to like the president. you don't have to like me. because this isn't about the president or about me. it's about you. it's about your family, it's about your children. so do me a favor. you know, go and check and you're going to like what you find. >> so if that's the case, why are the republicans in the state so against it? >> again, i think it's politics,
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ed, and it's shortsighted. because i know our folks have been saying kentuckyians don't want this. well, the numbers speak otherwise. 400,000 of them sure want this. and they want -- they're eager about it. so everybody knows that's just incorrect. and they're going to find out, i believe, by about this time next year, that people are going to look back and say, wait a minute. this is okay. i've got affordable health coverage. you misled me. >> do you think this will play into the mid terms? >> i think it will play into the mid terms. i honestly think that the biggest issue in the mid terms is going to be the dysfunction of congress. i'll tell you, people here in kentucky are disgusted when they look at washington, d.c. and see the lack of anything going on. they are so hungry to just have people -- republicans or democrats -- who will sit down with each other and reach across the aisle and actually talk to each other instead of past each other. and get this country moving
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again. >> well, this is the dynamic that's playing out. the republicans have record number filibusters in the senate obstructing a lot of what president obama wants to do. you've implemented what president obama wants to do. and there's positive results. i mean, this is rather unusual political dynamic, isn't it? >> it is. but i know that when the national media looks at kentucky, they see the face of our congressional delegation. well, kentucky is a lot different than the face of our congressional delegation. we're a very progressive state. we are leading the charge in education reform. we are the first state to adopt the common core standards. we're the second state to adopt the next generation side standards. we just raised our dropout age from 16 to 18. you know, we are aggressively moving forward in education. economic development. last year, we had the second-highest job growth rate of any state in the country. and our exports are setting records right now. so lots of good things going on in kentucky. >> what do you say to other
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governors that have denied their -- you know, residents an opportunity to do this? i mean, i just find it amazing that a state in the middle of the country can get it right, and be so aggressive in doing it right, and not have a lot of people calling your office and saying, governor beshear, how did you do that? >> i would say to them, you know, take a deep breath and take another look at this. because number one, we all know it's the right thing to do from a health care standpoint. if there is a way that you can insure every one of your people or get them affordable health coverage, obviously, that's morally the right thing to do. it's also the right thing economically to do. just get some people to take a look at what this will do for your state from a job creation standpoint, from money being infused into your economy. this is a win-win situation for everybody. >> do you see consumers getting better rates? >> i think most consumers will
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get better rates. obviously, 640,000 of them have never had any rates at all, because they have been unable to get insurance. >> and that's the key access, right? >> that is the key access. and we're going to have a number of people who will qualify for the expanded medicaid program, going to have a number of people who will be able for the first time to buy qualified health plans. the coverage is going to be so much better than anybody ever had before in terms of behavioral health, for instance and all of the immunizations and screenings and the prevention and wellness. you know, that's the big key to this in the long run is zeroing in on keeping people out of emergency rooms and out of in-patient care. and teaching them how to take care of themselves. how to manage their diabetes. how to manage their heart condition. so that they can have healthy lives. >> you just used the word "quality." the affordable health care act has standards. your thoughts on that. and this is why people are getting notices, saying their insurance is being cancelled,
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the junk insurance industry is being cleaned up. address that. >> folks aren't getting their insurance cancelled. they're getting their insurance changed into something that is so much better than what they have had before. yes, there are some essential benefits that are required in the future for every health plan sold in the country. not just the ones sold on the health care exchanges. and look what people for the first time are going to get. no preexisting condition. i mean, i don't care what you have had or what you have got. you'll be able to get affordable health insurance. no max on lifetime benefits. you get some catastrophic illness, you're not going to get thrown off your plan for it running over. you're going to have child care for the first time. dental and vision care. you're going to have behavioral health, including drug treatment. and that's going to be so important for so many in this country. >> can you say with confidence and conviction that this will be good for small businesses in kentucky? >> i can say with all confidence that this is going to be great
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for small businesses and kentucky. as a matter of fact, we have almost 400 small businesses right now working to develop health plans in our exchange. so they're finding out, just like everybody else is, that all this misinformation, let's cut through that and let's get to the chase, you know. this can work. this is going to work. and kentucky is going to be so much better for it. >> governor, thanks for your time. >> thank you, ed. >> appreciate it, sir. great. well, a long-form interview, because there is a lot to the story. one thing is for sure. there's a heck of a lot more in kentucky than just horse racing and damn good college basketball, you know what i mean? but this room right here, notice how no one is throwing anything at one another. that computers aren't breaking down. there is no screaming going on. nobody is pulling anybody's hair out. the demeanor of this room is highly professional. these people are very motivated. they know they are helping fellow kentuckyians, and oh, by the way, their call center is in
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kentucky. it's kentucky jobs. it can be done. coming up, we'll go inside this nerve center at connect. >> what's the key to having this so organized? on the ground floor, what did you do? and later, our ed team was on the ground this weekend in the state of virginia. we'll hear from both sides going into tomorrow's governor's race. y you're not going to see this anywhere else. another "ed show" exclusive. i started part-time, now i'm a manager.n. my employer matches my charitable giving. really. i get bonuses even working part-time. where i work, over 400 people are promoted every day. healthcare starting under $40 a month. i got education benefits. i work at walmart. i'm a pharmacist. sales associate. i manage produce. i work in logistics. there's more to walmart than you think. vo: opportunity. that's the real walmart.
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and we're sharing what we've learned, so we can all produce energy more safely. our commitment has never been stronger. so i can reach ally bank 24/7, but there ar24/7.branches? i'm sorry, i'm just really reluctant to try new things. really? what's wrong with trying new things? look! mommy's new vacuum! (cat screech) you feel that in your muscles? i do... drink water. it's a long story. well, not having branches let's us give you great rates and service. i'd like that. a new way to bank. a better way to save. ally bank. your money needs an ally. it's got to make you feel pretty good that you're, you know, in the middle of something, you know, revolutionary in america. >> it feels great. it feels wonderful. yeah. it feels like we're doing something that really matters. >> they are. welcome back to "the ed show."
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after my interview with governor beshear, he gave me a tour of the processing center. i found highly professional, highly motivated folks, a well-oiled machine, hard-working, work ethic kentuckians getting after it. and, of course, they haven't experienced the same problems as certainly the national folks have. the governor introduced me to the people who make it all happen. >> governor, this hasn't been a very elaborate rollout of government expenditure to make this happen, has it? >> well, look at this nondescript building. this is our nerve center. this is where it all happens. and we've got -- we've got dozens of people in here. most of whom are already on our payroll out of the medicaid office and all of that. and then the vendors have their folks in here. and we work together, and we pull this thing off. i mean, it's -- it's an amazing feat. but we knew that's what we wanted to do for the people of kentucky. >> and these are kentucky employees, the call center is
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kentucky. >> exactly. >> so when somebody from kentucky calls up, they get a kentuckian on the line. >> you're exactly right. >> and is there a message there, as well? i mean, to make people feel at home, that this is really happening for them? >> you know, this is kentucky doing for kentuckians. these are -- these are people who are dedicated to making this a success, because they know that they're helping kentucky families. and they know that what we're doing is history-making. >> what's the biggest piece of hogwash you've heard out there? >> well, there's so many things out there. many, you know -- many parts of the misinformation project i would call it, that the critics have been going through. but this idea that nobody wants it is one of the craziest ideas in the world. we misproved that in kentucky with the hundreds of thousands of people in the first 48 hours that were piling on to this website, trying to find out about getting affordable health
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coverage. ed, these are the real heroes here in kentucky. they're a little bleary-eyed, but they're very happy to be a huge part of the success of this. >> and nobody is throwing paper at one another or pencils or anything like that. it's all so organized. what's the key to having this so organized? on the ground floor, what did you do? >> from the very start, we brought our vendors in, and combined them with our internal folks. folks in medicaid, folks in public health. all of the people that work with our programs everyday. and they worked hand-in-hand, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, sometimes, to make sure that when october the 1st came, we were up and running. we did extensive testing, worked out the kinks and october 1 came, and we hit the ground running and we haven't stopped yet. >> people look to kentucky as a model. and you come into here, the pulse center, and it's working. this is going to be a great sense of pride for you and the
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residents that, you know, you're doing it the way it's supposed to be done. >> well, it's exciting, ed, obviously. that kentucky is considered the gold standard and that people nationally and internationally are talking about us and talking about our success. but as i mentioned, these are the heroes here. i mean, they -- they worked for months to get this done, and we've got thousands of people all across this state out there right now, the connectors, the insurance agents, the people in the public health area, the nonprofits that are on board with us. and educating our people about what this is all about. and i'll tell you, every time somebody finds out about it, they like what they find. >> i asked some of the workers in here if mr. mcconnell or mr. paul have been in here, and they said no, they haven't been in here yet. what, did you ask them to come in and see exactly how this is unfolding? >> i would love to have our whole congressional delegation come in here and see what's actually happening here. it's one thing to be in
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washington, d.c. and you all pass each other like they all do up there, but they need to come and see what's actually happening on the ground here in kentucky. look at these people. see what they're doing every day. look at the 32,000 kentuckians already signed up for affordable health coverage. look at the 350,000 people who are swarming all over this website right now, trying to get the information so that they can -- sign up and get affordable health coverage. to me, that's what's really going on. i mean, that's where the rubber meets the road, is right here on the ground in kentucky. >> what do you say to the republicans who have said this is going to cost jobs? and that's when i asked you earlier about small business activity in kentucky. it's not going to cost jobs? >> it's just not the case. you know, that's just another one of the elements of misinformation that's being thrown in out there to really discourage people from being a part of this. you know, the economic analysis we did said no, it's not going to cost jobs, it's going to create about 17,000 new jobs.
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and we're finding small business coming on the exchange and being very active. i think we're close now to about 400 small businesses who have started application. just in this month. so we've got a lot of good business activity going on here as well. >> because the conversation by the opponents of this entire health care effort in america is that small businesses are going to be taxed heavily. that small businesses are going to see their rates go through the roof, and they're going to have to let people go. >> well, the fact is that anybody under 50 employees, they don't have to do anything if they don't want to. but folks under 25 employees, we're urging them to check object th on this exchange, because they could get some tax credits and they might be able to provide affordable health insurance for their folks at a lesser cost than what most of them are doing right now. >> so how could 400 businesses in kentucky have it wrong?
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why don't we have 49 other kentuckies across america? well, it's obstruction. that's the story on the ground in kentucky. but this is the story in washington. >> when it it comes to jobs, some have called the law the single biggest detriment to job creation in america right now. >> part-time workers, the poor, pay still have no insurance, but now they may have no job. >> jobs are being lost, premiums are going up. >> the real problem is we're driving everyone out of the individual market. >> it's time to revisit this monstrosity, because it's clearly an enormous drag on our economy. >> i just didn't find that in frankfurt, kentucky. now, if senator mcconnell or senator rand paul would like to join ed schultz in that very same room and tell me something that i missed or maybe listen to the employees who were signing up thousands upon thousands of
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kentuckians every day, i'll be glad to report it. it's easy to go to washington and bad-mouth anything. but when you go to the pulse center and find out exactly how many residents in that state are being helped, you only shake your head as to why we aren't doing that in every state in the union. you be the judge. coming up, we take you to the battleground of virginia for another ed show exclusive. plus, sean hannity responds to my debate challenge. come on, sean, don't be a coward. hey, what do you say we go to kentucky together? but next, i'm taking your questions. "ask ed live" just ahead. stay with us. mine was earned orbiting the moon in 1971.
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often awfully powerful. they have one of the strongest lobbies, if not the strongest lobby in washington. they don't like competition. there's no question about that. and they're not real happy about the affordable care act, which is to underscore just how effective this law is, and the way we're going to get the ball rolling nationally when it comes to insurance competition. their role in obstructing? they call themselves out. just look at some of the advertising that you see in your local market. our next question is from elvis. which republican politician would you most like to punch in the nose? now, are you trying to make trouble for me? if i were to do that, i would get arrested. if i get arrested, that means i can't go to canada anymore and do any hunting and fishing. republicans have screwed up a lot of stuff, the one thing they're not going to screw up is my outdoor life. there's a lot more coming up. stay with us on "the ed show."
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cuccinelli for governor. >> we cannot stand another republican in an elective office. >> we have a really great candidate in ken cuccinelli. >> i believe in terry mcauliffe. >> i'm here to support ken cuccinelli. >> we need terry mcauliffe in the governor's mansion. we absolutely have to have him. >> we hope to never hear the name cuccinelli again after tuesday. >> welcome back to "the ed show." "the ed show" team was on the ground in virginia this weekend, ahead of one of the most important governor races in the past decade. president obama joined hundreds of terry mcauliffe supporters at washington lee high school in arlingt arlington, virginia sunday. we were there. we asked the voters, what were the issues motivating them tomorrow. supporters had this to say. >> looking out for his future and want to make sure that it's a society we want him to grow up in. >> i would have been much less motivated, had it not been for the government shutdown and the tea party trying to push everybody around. >> she told me, get up, got to
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get out here, cast our vote. >> remember, voter i.d. laws are changing next year. a lot of people don't know what's going on with the voter i.d. laws. >> this tea party disruption in government is not good for us. >> now, the other side of the story. dozens of tea partiers were also at the rally, screaming their hatred of the candidate they referred to as "mcawful." >> he's a carpet bagger. that's not the type of person we want in the governorship. >> mostly association to obama. >> still want to bring benghazi to the forefront. >> i'm out here supporting my brother. and as a physician, a lot of the medical stuff surrounding obama care is of primary importance to me. >> yes, you heard that right. that last character was ken cuccinelli's brother, dr. kevin cuccinelli, a family practice physician from colorado. the issue is very clear in this race. mcauliffe supporters are concerned about women's rights, voting rights and obama care. cuccinelli's crowd is a bunch of typical tea party crazies.
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joining me now for real talk panel, pulitzer prize winning national columnist, connie schultz, and also bill burton, former deputy white house press secretary and founder of co usa. connie, women's issues very big in this race. have women's issues in a gubernatorial race been so defined as they are here in virginia? >> as you know, you have been talking about virginia for quite some time. i've been covering it the last year-and-a-half, two years. there has been a lot going on to suppress women's rights there. i love what terry mcauliffe, who, let's be honest, he's not popular even with a lot of democrats. but i think the quinnipiac poll showed 30% of those voting for him are doing so because they dislike his opponent so much. he did say, i am a brick wall when it comes to women's abortion rights. he is going to protect those rights. he said he trusts women to make their own decisions for their own lives. considering this is i think one of only two states who are having statewide elections this
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year, right, in the wake of the presidential race, this is huge. that's why we're all paying attention to virginia. women's issues very big. this is what the folks told us on the ground in virginia. >> i'd say ken is the most for-woman candidate. >> as a woman, i'm definitely a supporter ofterry mcauliffe. >> i don't know about you, but i don't want to die on an abortionists table. and the fact that he's vilifying ken cuccinelli for protecting women. >> virginia is a very scary state right now. and we need to ensure that girls and women have privacy and choices available to them. >> bill burton, virginia is a very scary state right now. is that going to be a motivator? that sound bite, i think, is basically exemplary of how many other people were saying the same thing to us, that we don't have time to play. i mean, how big of a motivating factor is this going to be for voters? >> i think, two things. for one, terry mcauliffe was underestimated and ran a great
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campaign. cuccinelli basically seated the center. but terry mcauliffe was able to go to it. progressive issues are mainstream issues when it comes to women's rights, climate. and cuccinelli has been one of the most fringe out of the mainstream candidates in the whole country. it's why the league of conversation voters has put him on their dirty dozen list as one of the worst candidates when it comes to climate and energy. so terry saw an opening and he was able to -- he was able to get to it and really work the issue of climate, work women's issues, work mainstream american issues and turn virginia into a state where it's not going to have a democratic governor as long as virginians show up and vote tomorrow. and two democratic senators. amazing to see clinton didn't win. >> cuccinelli said this election is a referendum on obama care. here's what the voters have to say. >> all of terry's so-called plans and proposals will pretty much tax us to death. and we already are paying a ton of taxes thanks to obama care. >> the opponent, cuccinelli, as
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most people don't know, was one of the first to file a lawsuit to demise obama care. and that is the very reason that i'm here. >> i view criticism of obama care as just making life more cushy for the rich. >> especially with these people out here against obama care, i wanted to show my support for it. it's exciting to be on your parents' insurance if you can't get it otherwise. >> connie schultz, clearly terry mcauliffe has not run away from obama care. in fact, this has been a focal woipt point of his conversation, the benefits of the state of virginia. if he doesn't win, what does that mean? >> i am having a hard time imagining he won't win at this point. i think ken cuccinelli wishes he could make this a referendum on the affordable care act. but this is not a good time in virginia to be a tea party hero, which is what he has been repeatedly identified as. it's -- 170,000 employees in virginia, federal employees, 30% of north virginia depends on
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federal spending. this is a horrible time for him to be running, because he has affiliated himself with the party that tried to hold the country hostage and in effect did during the shutdown. >> bill burton, your thoughts on that. the shutdown hurt cuccinelli? >> there's no doubt the shutdown hurt cuccinelli. and like connie was saying, this is a very tough time to be saddled with the republican brand. and if this is indeed a referendum on obama care, i would be very nervous if i were national republicans. because if you look at the polling over the course of the last weeks and months, even now when we're in the heat of the battle, as it relates to the affordable care act, terry mcauliffe's polling has continued to be steady, and the enthusiasm hasn't worn off. this is a referendum. it looks like the referendum is going in favor of obama care. >> bill, what about this picture right here, bill clinton, very close to mcauliffe, and has been for years. hillary clinton has been there. the president is there. was there on sunday. the vice president has been there. i mean, the democrats clearly
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want virginia in the big picture what's it mean? >> well, and also the first lady has been there. what it means -- what it means is that we're going to have a strong, progressive governor in an important state. but also, i think that virginians have gotten to know terry mcauliffe and ken cuccinelli by their policies and company they keep. and if you see the wildly popular former president clinton, you see president obama there, you see the former first lady, secretary of state, and mrs. obama and joe biden go there, versus rand paul, and marco rubio, and mark levin and this whole cast of characters from the right wing of the republican party, i think people have a very clear sense of the kind of direction that both candidates want to lead in, and that's why terry mcauliffe is winning this race. >> connie, you made an interesting point the start of this segment. you said to the effect that terry mcauliffe isn't -- i don't want to put words in your mouth. say the perfect democrat. i guess you could say he's a centrist democrat. will the liberals in the state,
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and there are -- there is a liberal base in virginia, will they come out and supporter re mcauliffe? >> if they care about the issues we hold dear, they will. i was pleased to see that hillary clinton was there, because a lot of women, as you know, in this country, particularly progressive women, are watching hillary's every move right now. and i think this bodes well for terry mcauliffe that she showed up and i think it bodes well for her future candidacy, should she decide to run for president to have terry mcauliffe as governor in virginia. >> connie schultz and bill burt burton, great to have you on "the ed show" tonight. still ahead, new jersey governor chris christie, loses his cool again? the teacher who was on the end of his latest tirade joins us exclusively on "the ed show." stay with us. young boys life could be hectic. angie's list saves me a lot of time. after reading all the reviews i know i'm making the right choice. online or on the phone, we help you hire right the first time. with honest reviews on over 720 local services.
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i get out a lot... except when it's too cold. like the last three weekends. asthma doesn't affect my job... you missed the meeting again last week! it doesn't affect my family. your coughing woke me up again. i wish you'd take me to the park. i don't use my rescue inhaler a lot... depends on what you mean by a lot. coping with asthma isn't controlling it. test your level of control at asthma.com, then talk to your doctor. there may be more you could do for your asthma. and in pretenders tonight, mr. intellectual, honesty, sean hannity. i do believe it's folks like
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you, i do, i do, i do. hannity last week, i challenged hannity to a debate. and it turns out, hannity doesn't have the guts to go head-to-head with me when it comes to obama care. in fact, he released a statement saying, to be blunt, i really have better things to do with my time than attempt to educate a total buffoon. really? the insults just keep coming. but, of course, the facts of obama care stay the same. hannity claims that i am looking for attention? excuse me? i've been in this business for 35 years. i've got all the attention i want, radio and tv. i can't do anymore. sean, this is about the people. it's not about you and me. it's about the facts. it's important to point out, in all of hannity's recent attacks on me, he has never once mentioned one fact that i was wrong on. he has never once come out and defended the lies i've called him out on. now, he says he doesn't have any time for me. yet he sure as hell loves
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playing me on his show in his media wrap-up or whatever it is. hannity uses his tv show as a means to twist the facts about obama care, because he hates the president. if sean hannity wants to pretend he's not a coward on he's not a coward on debating me or correcting his mistakes, he can keep on pretending. hundreds of dollars of savings on the table by not choosing the right medicare d plan. no one could have left this much money here. whoo-hoo-hoo! yet many seniors who compare medicare d plans realize they can save hundreds of dollars. cvs/pharmacy wants to help you save on medicare expenses. talk to your cvs pharmacist, call, or go to cvs.com/compare to get your free, personalized plan comparison today. call, go online, or visit your local store today.
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welcome back to "the ed show." this is the story for the folks who take a shower after work. progressives, we need to give
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thanks, help, and support to our public school teachers across america. and in the state of new jersey, governor chris christie, he has another idea. at a rally over the weekend it happened again. a teacher in his state asked why do you continue to spread the myth that our schools and teachers are failing? christie answered in what's become his trademark way. a tirade. as shown in this photo. look at this guy's face. look at that. i mean, be a leader of people. now, this is nothing new for the governor of new jersey. the man acts like a schoolyard bully at nearly every campaign event. >> you know what -- and you know what? let me tell you this. you know what? it's people who raise their voices and yell and scream like you that are dividing this country. if what you want to do is put on a show and giggle every time i talk, well, then i have no interest in answering your question. i can go back and forth with you
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as much as you want. let me tell you something. after you graduate from wall street you conduct yourself like that in a courtroom, you're getting thrown in jail, idiot. really? you know, some may go down tonight, but it ain't going to be jobs. >> who also runs an afterschool program i think asked a fair question. new jersey public schools have performed well on the metric most school reformists like christie himself believe are the most important telling of economic achievement. standardized test scores. this doesn't seem to matter to christie. the governor cut more than a billion dollars in his office. >> you have people in office that stay having 200 schools that are failing in new jersey is acceptable. and i assume for those folks it is acceptable. because i assume their children
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don't go to one of those 200 schools that are failing in new jersey. >> scolded teacher melissa tomlinson wrote an open letter to the governor after their confrontation. she wrote you are setting up teachers to take the blame for all of this. you have portrayed us as greedy, lazy, money-draining public servants that do nothing. i invite you to come do my job for one week, governor christie. melissa tomlinson joins us tonight here on "the ed show." i appreciate your time tonight. your response to the way the governor responded to you. was it demeaning? >> my response or his response to me? >> i mean, how do you feel now that you have had this exchange with the governor of new jersey who has cut 6,000 teachers and a billion dollars out of the budget claiming that he is a big advocate of fixing public
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schools. you go back at him and say he's blaming the teachers. break it down for us. >> well, like you said, the governor cut $1.3 billion in education funds when he first became governor, and he goes around now touting about his education budget of almost $9 billion. but that's not taking a lot of factors into account. that's not showing us how much money is actually going into the classroom these days. districts all over our state are feeling the pressure of trying to meet their budgetary needs. we have these new common core state standards coming out which are absolutely draining our budgets. they haven't been validated. they haven't been researched. it's starting to show that they are development al ly inappropriate. it is going to be expensive for
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the state. the whole package that the educational system itself is being sold needs to be analyzed. there is not a lot of educational validity in this at all and we need to realize that they're trying to funnel our money into these corporations that are behind these standards. >> how offended were you by the governor? >> i was very taken aback. the phrase "you people" just kind of -- i didn't know what he meant by that. i wanted to get some points in with him, wasn't able to. that's why i wrote that letter the following morning. >> so he said i'm sick of you people. was that the direct quote? >> that was what i remember it as being. he says it was something different. i'm not going to get into a he said/she said type of thing. i do have a reporter who snapped the pictures backing up what i
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said. the whole reference to "you people" was demeaning in itself. and then at the end of the conversation when i was still trying to have the conversation with him, he just looked at me and told me to go do my job. >> what was the response of the other people in the crowd that were looking on at this exchange? >> the crowd actually cheered for him. it was a little bit scary. they tried debating with me as well. one person turned to me and said honey, you're in the wrong place for this. i shrugged and said i know. i had to do it. people need to understand this is my life. this is teachers' lives. this is their passion. and all of us need to start voicing that and start standing up for what we think is right. >> do you think the governor will respond to your letter in any way? >> i believe that there was some type of response out there. some of my friends have told me
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some some things. i haven't really been able to get online much to do. i was in the classroom all day. >> i appreciate your time tonight. thank you for what you do as a profession. i know your students count on you. thank you for going to the governor face to face on that. we will follow up to find out if the governor is going to spend a week in her classroom. go do her job for a week, governor. that's "the ed show." i'm ed shultz. "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton begins now. good evening, rev. >> good evening, ed. thanks for tuning in. tonight's lead, the gop agony of repeat. republicans keep running to the right and they keep losing the fight. exactly one year ago today just two days before the election, mitt romney was in the great state of virginia telling voters he was going to win. >> thanks so much, you guys. virginia is the best.